


Wonder Woman: The Arrow of Artemis

by artemis_arrow



Category: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League (2017), Wonder Woman (Movies - Jenkins), Wonder Woman - All Media Types
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Love Triangles, Post-Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Post-Wonder Woman (2017), Slow Burn, Wonder Woman (2017) Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-11 08:34:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28468362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artemis_arrow/pseuds/artemis_arrow
Summary: Post- Wonder Woman and Batman v. Superman -When Diana Prince first set out on her mission to save the world, she had no idea that she would also be signing up for a lifetime of heartbreak. Following the death of Superman, Diana knows her responsibility to protect the innocent and fight for justice has never been more important. Still, she can't help longing for her home on Themyscira.When Bruce Wayne shows up with a dangerous plan to revive Superman that could also lead her back to the Amazons: What will she decide?Wonder Woman/Batman/Steve Trevor love triangle
Relationships: Diana (Wonder Woman) & Bruce Wayne, Diana (Wonder Woman)/Bruce Wayne, Diana (Wonder Woman)/Steve Trevor, wonder woman - Relationship
Comments: 13
Kudos: 70





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> So after viewing 1984, and having some mixed feelings, I started wondering what my ideal Wonder Woman movie would look like.
> 
> This story takes place after Batman V. Superman / the final scene of Wonder Woman (2017), and diverges from the Justice League cannon. Before the JL is formed, I thought it would be interesting to explore the start of BM and WW's partnership, along with the fallout of losing Superman. Sorry if that's a spoiler... but the movie came out in 2016. ¯\\_(ツ)_/
> 
> I hope you like it! This is my first time writing this sort of thing, so if you like it/want more/have feedback, please drop me a comment to let me know. I've got about 20(?) chapters plotted out, but if folks are feeling it I'll probably give up on it.
> 
> Thanks for check it out and enjoy the fluffy prologue!

It was a perfect evening on Themyscira. A light breeze swept off the ocean and whipped through the open stone walls of the ancient palace. Even on the hottest summer days, the sea’s night air could be relied upon to cool every corner of the Amazonian island.

As Diana made her way along the columned corridor of the royal residence, she thought back to her time in the sub-Saharan during an archaeological dig to recover pottery from the Iron Age. She could still feel the brutal afternoon heat and the unforgiving nights that would leave her sweat-drenched. Even a daughter of the gods is not immune to the sun’s rays.

Her memory of man’s world is interrupted by the sound of a young boy’s laughter carrying through a large wooden door and echoing down the hall. He was supposed to be asleep by the time she arrived home. Nevertheless, she feels a smile creep across her face. 

_ This  is paradise.  _

She opens the door to find her son, a boy of three with shaggy brown hair and blue eyes, being whirled around the room like an airplane by his father.

“I thought you were supposed to be asleep,” she playfully protests.

“But I’m a fighter plane, mother!” her son explains through another round of giggles.

“Yeah -- he’s a fighter plane, mom!” Her husband catches her eyes with a wink as he dives the boy down with an enormous  _ whoosh _ . “We just got to take out one more German tank so we can win the war, and then it’s bedtime.”

“Well, I guess I cannot let you go to bed if you have not won the war. You are an Amazon.” She sits on the bed and watches as they act out the final moments of battle. 

She knew Steve Trevor would make a good father, even though she had nothing to compare him to. His sense of duty, morality, and patience were traits that she knew could be relied upon. One thing that continued to surprise her, though, was his silliness and imagination. These were new and exciting layers she’d discovered in the complicated man she’d fallen in love with.

Steve held their son high on his shoulder, “Okay this is your final chance -- hit 'em’ with the rockets!”

“POW, POW, POW!”

“ _BOOOSHHH!_ ” Steve flung the boy through the air before gently placing him down on the bed next to Diana. “Good job, soldier,” he commended as he tucked his son in. 

“Did you see, mother?”

She smiled proudly and brushed his tousled hair to the side. “You did very well. Very brave. But now it is time to rest. You cannot return to battle without a good night’s sleep.” Diana leaned down and placed a light kiss on his forehead. “Goodnight, my son. I love you.”

“Sweet dreams, part’ner,” Steve pulled the blankets up high so he was properly nestled in and met Diana’s gaze. Now was a time for grownups.

As they shut the door behind them, the former military captain slinked an arm firmly around the waist of the island princess and pulled her close. Together they walked down the long hallway of the palace; every step illuminated by the pale moonlight and warm fire emitting from large torches. 

Leaning in to nuzzle his neck she let out a deep and exhausted breath. It had been a long afternoon, and she was grateful to finally have a moment to decompress. 

“How did the council meeting go?” 

“It was good. Very productive.”

“Uh-huh…” He nodded but was not quite convinced. “You don’t sound like it went all that well.”

She straightened up a little more; not wanting to seem like she was complaining. “We were able to finalize the final events. It should be the most challenging Asteria Games on record. It will be a glorious tournament…”

“But…” he pushed.  


“But…” she waited until they were in the privacy of their own bedroom to make her true feelings known. Slumping down onto her bed she let out yet another exasperated sigh, “I don’t want to be on the game council, I want to be  _ in _ the games.” 

“There it is,” He plopped down next to her. He could have seen this one coming from a mile away.

Propping herself up on her forearm she faced him, “When I was a child it was my dream to enter the Asteria Games and win. So when I was barely an adolescent, Antiope convinced my mother to let me participate in the final pentathlon. It’s the most rigorous event that only the greatest Amazonians have won. And I came close to winning, too, but at the last moment Antiope had me disqualified because I took a shortcut.”

Steve couldn’t believe his ears. Diana Prince, the defender of truth and justice, had once tried to scam her way into winning. “You cheated?!”

“I cheated,” She admitted. “And so as punishment I was banned from ever competing in the games.” The disappointment that her childhood dream would go unfulfilled was evident.

“Wait… so you’re telling me that because you cheated as a kid, you were banned for  _ life _ ? Sounds a little extreme, I mean, all kids cheat at some point.”

Diana shook her head, “Aphrodite’s law does not make exceptions for children.”

Steve shrugged, amused with the rigidness of the Amazonian world. “Well, I guess don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time.” He watched an ashamed look wash over her face and tried to be more comforting, “Hey, everyone here knows you're the greatest warrior the Amazons have ever seen. You don’t need a game to prove it -- you’ve done it.”

A smile curled to her lips and she moved in to rest her head on his chest. It was a long day, but coming home to this made her feel overwhelmed with gratitude. 

Pulling her close and tucking her head underneath his chin, he couldn’t help but tease her just a little more, “You know… maybe I should enter.”

“You cannot enter, you are not an Amazon,” She tells him matter of fact.

“But I’m an honorary Amazon, right? Doesn’t that mean I should get to compete, too?”

She sits up and stares directly into his eyes as if he’s suddenly grown a second head, “Steve, to have any chance at winning the Asteria Games you must have years of acrobatic and gymnastic training -- not to mention the swimming, archery, and equestrian elements required...”

“What? I’m in good shape. You could train me! I think I've got a shot.”

<

Diana shakes her head and dismisses his silliness, “You could not win.” 

“Okay, little Miss. Cheater, what do you get if you win?”

“Honor and eternal glory.”

“... that’s it? You don’t get, like, a trophy or some sort of prize?”

She settles herself back down next to him, convinced now that he has been joking with her. “Winning is the greatest prize. Our culture doesn’t need material items to reinforce the value of achievement.”

“Well…” he mutters as he scoots his body down and meets here face-to-face. “I may not be good enough for the Amazon Games --”

“Asteria Games,” she playfully corrects. 

“Right -- the Asteria Games,” he confirms, but then lowers his voice. He looks at her with a smoldering intensity. “...but there are things I’m still _very_ good at.”

She raises an eyebrow, and his smile confirms her suspicion. “Yes,” her voice suddenly a husky whisper. “There are things that you are very… very good at.”

He pulls her in close for a deep and hungry kiss, as his hands begin to re-explore a body he’s spent years learning. For her part, Diana cannot get enough. The heat. The sensation. The need. Her senses are overwhelmed by him.

_ And then it disappears.  _

Diana’s eyes open to find the warmth of home gone. The man she loved vanished. 

She’s in a typical modern apartment surrounded by moving boxes and blank white walls. Grey light pears through the window and in the distance sirens wail. 

It’s 3:32 AM in Washington DC and she hasn’t seen Steve Trevor or Themyscira in nearly a century. 


	2. Wonder Woman: 2017

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked the prologue! Now we're getting into the plot...
> 
> If you like it, please give me a kudo or a comment. This is my first story <3
> 
> Thanks for reading!

Stepping off the metro escalator, Diana inhales deeply. 

There’s something about being back in DC right now that is both warmly familiar and deeply strange. She’s back to her same morning commute from the Watergate to the Natural History Smithsonian; taking the Blue Line metro from Foggy-Bottom to Federal Triangle. Five stops and then a ten-minute walk if she moves quickly.

It’s a comfort to know that somethings still stay the same in the ever-changing world of men. 

As she walks by a group of women, likely hill staffers, lobbyists, or other government employees, she grins.

_Women appear to be taking over the man’s world at every turn._

She wishes she could share this with her mother and sisters back home on Themyscira. They would be astonished by the revolutions that she has witnessed in the last hundred years. Voting rights. Civil rights. Women of every creed and race now leading major countries across the globe. As an immortal demigod, she’s had a front-row seat to witness it all.

This is what she loves most about the mortal world. There are no limits to the way it can progress and evolve. Every generation carries a new torch to build and improve upon the foundation of the last.

As she approaches the Smithsonian she notices a large security presence. Officers patrol the Mall in heavy combat gear with large assault weapons strung across their bodies. 

DC has always been a tense place. She remembers living here at the height of the Cold War when the possibility of nuclear conflict was an ever-present part of life. It was an unsettling time, but this feels different. Back in the 70s and 80s, threats were seen as danger from enemies on the outside. Now, in the aftermath of Luthor’s attack and the death of Superman, she has never seen Washington more on edge. 

She knows she'll have her work cut out for her, that much is certain. For now, though, she is focused on her new task with the Smithsonian. 

After Lex Luthor’s sentencing, the United States Government seized the entirety of his vast estate, including a large private collection of ancient artifacts. Over two thousand individual pieces requiring immediate identification and preservation. 

Diana feels a twinge of excitement when she thinks about the possibilities awaiting her. For years she’s been toiling to collect every last Amazonian item lost during her people’s uprising. Objects that give her connection to her homeworld when she is at her most alienated. Over the years, she’s garnered a great many articles, but some of the pieces she’s yearned for most continue to slip out of reach. 

One item, in particular, has become a recent fixation: The Arrow of Artemis. 

A golden arrow, forged by Zeus as an ode to his daughter, is said to allow any lost Amazon a path home to Themyscira. 

With the emergence of Superman, Diana thought she might eventually be able to conclude her service in the mortal world. The earth had a new hero and things were at its most peaceful -- _or at least moving towards it._

If there was ever an opportunity for Diana to hang up her sword, that might have been it. 

But no great power goes unanswered in the world of men. When a superhero emerges, so does a supervillain. Six months following Doomsday’s strike and the death of Superman, Diana knows her window home has closed. She must stay and fight. Her sacred duty must be satisfied.

Finding the golden arrow didn’t matter anymore, but when she was given a copy of today’s manifest, she still found herself thumbing through the pages in search.

In the privacy of her office, she dragged her finger down each line of itemized text. _Vases… plates… jewelry… totems…_

But even at her most entrenched, she can still feel when she’s being watched.

“I wondered when you’d show up,” Diana says to him without even the slightest glance away from her task.

Bruce Wayne was not used to people getting the jump on him and stood in her doorway somewhat dumbfounded.

Looking up at him finally, she smirks politely, “Are you here to ask me if I want to join the super friends?”

He closes the door behind him, trying to act smooth. “No… I just came by to see how you’re settling in and welcome you back to the states. Thought I'd be neighborly…”

Diana raises an eyebrow. Batman? Neighborly?

He can see there’s no pulling the wool over her eyes, “...and I wanted to see if you had time to think it over.”

“The super friends?” she can see a hint of a blush emitting from the mighty Bruce Wayne.

“I was thinking it would be more like a league of justice… a Justice-like League.” He’s surprised by his own embarrassment. There’s something about Diana Prince that makes the infamous playboy feel like he’s back in junior high. 

“I have to say, your persistence surprises me. I never thought of you as the type that likes to work in teams.” Everything she’d read on Bruce Wayne and the Batman inferred he was the type of guy that liked his space and solitude. 

“I’m trying to turn over a new leaf.”

She smiles and offers him a seat. “I was a part of a team once. I liked it very much. Probably the happiest time of my life.”

He’s slightly taken aback. Diana is full of wonderments. “See -- this would be just like that.”

“They all died,” She replies dryly. “That was probably the most difficult time of my life.”

She can tell she’s made him feel a bit awkward and maybe even a little dejected, but he needed to know. “Why are you really here Bruce?”

He can tell there’s no fooling her with pretenses of a friendly gesture. “Lois Lane contacted me.”

“Is everything alright?”

“I don’t know… A Dr. Donna Milton has been contacting her and Martha Kent. She claims she can bring Superman back.”

Diana shakes her head. “It’s so wrong to take advantage of grieving people like that.”

Bruce gives a slight nod, “I’ve been looking into it. She’s a celebrated chemist and biophysicist. She’s worked with NASA, the CDC, and Wayne Enterprises apparently had a contract with her back in the late 90’s.” Bruce hesitates for a moment, “She also consulted for Lexcorp up until last year…”

“That’s a red flag. You think she’s still working with Luthor?”

“I’m not sure,” Bruce shrugs. “She’s been cleared by the FBI... claims she was duped by Lex.”

“He tricked a lot of people,” Diana replies, though not convinced. “What do you need from me?”

“Dr. Milton is flying out to Kansas to meet with Martha and Lois in-person. I told them we’d go and help them check it out. See if we can get a read on her. Best case scenario: She really knows how to bring him back. Worst case: -- ”

“She’s working for Luthor and deceiving a family mourning with nefarious intentions,” she completes his thought. “What does your gut tell you?”

Bruce sits back and considers the question. “I don’t know. I’m a natural skeptic who usually assumes the worst... I was hoping you might be able to give me a second opinion.”

Diana looks back down at the work in front of her. It’s going to have to wait. “When do we leave?”


	3. Chapter 2: A New Partnership

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New character alert for the fans of the movie! Comic book fans might already know Donna Milton -- look her up if you want spoilers ;)

They leave for Kansas on one of Bruce’s private jets in the early afternoon. 

Diana has never flown on a non-commercial plane, let alone sat in the cockpit of a jet. As she watches Bruce take them up off the ground and through the clouds, she can’t help but think of Steve. 

For the first time, she’s getting a glimpse into his life as a pilot; what he must have seen and felt. Truthfully, she always thinks of him when she flys. Sometimes it’s a small private joy that makes her feel connected to him once again. Other times, most often, it’s a ping of sadness as she recalls watching his plane climb higher and higher in those final moments.

Looking at Bruce, she wonders if this is what Steve looked like when he flew. Brows furrowed with acute concentration. Body relaxed as he effortlessly flips switches and adjusts dials. She watches in enchantment.

“Don’t be nervous. I’m a very good pilot.”

Diana realizes now that she’s been staring at him for the last twenty or so minutes. “No, I believe you. I’ve just never seen anyone actually fly a plane before.”

Bruce smiles but remains quiet. It occurs to Diana that, although they’re testing the waters on a new partnership, she and Bruce are still relative strangers. They’ve fought alongside one another, but outside of what she’s read, she knows very little about him personally.

“How long have you been flying?” she asks, trying to break the silence.

“Um… I guess it’s been about fifteen years. On and off.”

“And you like it?” She presses.

“Yeah, it’s alright.” Bruce remains transfixed on the sky. 

He’s clearly not the type for small talk. Diana realizes that getting to know Bruce Wayne is going to be much easier said than done. He’s clearly put effort into building up walls and ensuring that no one gets too close. She gets it. She’s built those walls, too.

As the jet glides along smoothly, and the heavy quietness settles in, Diana begins to notice her own uneasiness in this intimate setting. She’s not afraid to admit that she finds him attractive. He’s handsome, mysterious, and clearly has an affinity for justice. There’s no shame in privately acknowledging his allure. 

But he is a mortal man playing in a dangerous world. In her experience, that doesn’t usually end well.

“I put a tablet in that bag next to you with some of my research on Dr. Milton if you want to take a look.” He pulls Diana out of her thoughts and she feels a slight flush to her cheeks as if he could know what she was thinking.

Diana thanks him and takes the pad out of his flight bag. On the tablet, she finds hundreds of files and numerous editorials on the chemist. Skimming through numerous articles and profiles, she has to admit that she’s impressed. 

Over the course of Dr. Milton’s career, she’s developed cutting-edge technology to better screen for diseases in third-world countries, broken ground on cancer treatments, and won numerous awards.

“I guess it’s not surprising that Luthor would seek out someone with her credentials. She does seem very accomplished.” 

“Her affidavit to the FBI is also in there. It seems pretty cut and dry,” Bruce explains as she begins reading through the testimony. “She was hired to assist on the kryptonite project and was told it was merely an exploratory committee. She says she assumed Luthor was more interested in finding a way to profit off Kryptonite than actually using it for insidious purposes.”

“You don’t think money and insidious intent can be mutually exclusive?” She looks at him curiously. If there’s one thing she’s learned about man’s world it’s that most evils are driven by profit.

“Well… I might not be the guy to ask.” He replies with a slight bit of annoyance. He is a billionaire, after all. “She claims that she had no idea that Luthor planned to create a monster and unleash it on Metropolis.”

“Did the FBI do any further investigation?”

“They subpoenaed her lab and she was seemingly cooperative. The report concludes that they weren’t able to find anything significant, so they cleared her.” Bruce pauses for a moment, “She could be telling the truth and just trying to see if she can set things right.”

Diana shrugs. She's surprised to find herself more suspicious of Dr. Milton than her partner. “I can always use my lasso to get the truth from her.”

Bruce turns to her, “Don’t you think it’s a little extreme to tie her up and interrogate her?”

Diana rolls her eyes, “No --”

“I didn’t realize you were that kind of superhero -- don’t get me wrong -- I'm into it,” he teases.

“The Lasso of Hestia compels anyone to tell the truth,” She clarifies, although amused to see him lighten up a bit. “No man can resist.”

“Well, I’m sure you don’t need a magic lasso for that,” he responds with a sly smile. 

It seems like he might be flirting with her, but she’s not sure. It’s a change of pace that she’s unsure of… but definitely not against, either. 

“Hopefully it doesn’t come to that, though,” he effortlessly shifts back to a more formal persona. “I don’t know if she can bring him back, but like I said, maybe she’s just trying to atone for what she was a part of...”

“Even the best of intentions can be harmful, though. Martha and Lois have suffered a devastating loss. They don’t need someone making impossible promises.”

“But what if it’s not impossible?”

“I guess we’ll find out tonight,” she replies with a gentle tone, realizing something she missed during their discussion back at the Smithsonian. 

_ Bruce is still hurting and grieving, too. _

It’s a little after six o’clock when they reach the Kent homestead. As they pull up to the worn farmhouse, it’s clear their timing wasn't as good as they thought. Sitting in the dirt driveway is a car only slightly less expensive than the one Bruce rented. Dr. Milton was most assuredly already here.

The screen door swings open before Bruce and Diana can even reach the porch, as Lois Lane welcomes them with a warm smile. They exchange kind, yet clumsy pleasantries with one another; all parties still adapting to their new bond. 

The first time Diana met Lois was when she carried Clark’s body to her. She was standing there when Lois realized he was gone and began to sob over his body. 

The image has stayed with her every day for the last six months. 

Aside from offering condolences at Clark’s funeral, they’ve never really spoken. Taking in the situation in front of her, Diana can’t help but think how uncomfortable it is that she’s here being asked to advise on such a personal matter.

“How long has the doctor been here?” Bruce asks. 

“Maybe two hours?” Lois estimates as she leads them up to the house. “She’s in the kitchen right now fixing dinner with Martha.”

Diana and Bruce exchange a look. This was not something either of them anticipated.

Before they make it through the doorway, Bruce stops Lois, “So, what do you think?”

“I’m not sure,” Lois says through pained and exhausted eyes. “She seems great… and I’m feeling hopeful. But, I also think I’ve lost my ability to be objective and that makes me nervous.”

Bruce gives her a kind and understanding nod as they proceed into the Kent family home. 

Running out of the kitchen, Martha embraces Diana and Bruce with a warm hug that doesn’t feel at all unfamiliar. She seems genuinely happy to have them in her home as she clutches their hands and thanks them profusely for coming. Any doubts Diana had about making this trip suddenly seem so small, as she makes a silent promise to herself that she will protect this woman at all costs.

Standing back in a flour spotted apron, Diana immediately recognizes Dr. Donna Milton from her pictures. She doesn’t appear nearly as formal as she does in photographs, but her deep red hair and delicate features give her away. 

Dr. Milton seems nervous, yet completely pleasant, as she introduces herself to Bruce and Diana. Despite her resume and world acclaim, she seems casual and somewhat ordinary. This isn’t what Diana had expected at all.

“Sorry, I’m a bit of a mess. Martha and I have spent the afternoon roasting a couple of chickens for dinner. I hope you’re both hungry.” The house does smell amazing. A warm aroma of lemon zest and fresh herbs immediately caught Diana’s attention when they walked through the door. It’s been decades since she was last in the American midwest, and she forgot how hospitable people can be. “It still needs another forty minutes in the oven. I thought we might try to sit down and talk before we have dinner if that works for everyone?”

“That would be great,” Martha says as she invites everyone to take a seat in the living room. “I have to admit, I’ve been anxious all day about this.”

“Of course,” Dr. Milton gives Martha’s and a comforting squeeze. “I guess I should start. During my time as a researcher on the Krypton Project, I began working on an experiment to reverse engineer Kryptonite by breaking down its properties to the atomic level. We knew that when beings, like Clark, were exposed to this element in its raw or enhanced form, their molecule make up would begin to break down. The powers that made Superman super-human would be drained from him. So, I began to theorize that if Kryptonite could be used to suppress these otherworldly abilities,  _ it might also have the ability to enhance them.” _

“And this is how you think you can bring Clark back…” Bruce confirms, not looking the least bit apprehensive.

“Exactly. Before my dismissal from Lexcorp, my team and I made enormous progress on this work. We found that by breaking Kryptonite down, and processing it through an electrochemical cell, we could convert its energy into a source for healing.”

Diana looks over to Martha and Lois and notices that both appear to have tears building in their eyes. She doesn’t want to be the one to dash their dreams, but someone needs to ask the hard questions and Bruce doesn’t seem able to do it. “Is that all you worked on with Luthor?”

Dr. Milton looks at her like she’s just taken a gut punch. “No. Lex didn’t seem interested in the positive possibilities of Kryptonite. He required my team and I refocus our work on ways that it could be used as a deterrent against Clark and his kind.” Her voice is filled with shame, “I would give anything to take it back. At the time I didn’t think there was any harm in it. I had no idea he would use it to create such evil. And I admit that I was blinded by the opportunity to chart new scientific territory”. She shakes her head, “I know I’m not deserving of your forgiveness, but I promise you I will spend the rest of my life doing all that I can to make this right. I’m truly sorry for the pain I’ve caused you.”

Martha wipes a tear away from her eyes, “It’s okay. It’s okay. You didn’t know.”

“Thank you, Martha.” Dr. Milton gets up and walks across the room to retrieve a large leather bag. She pulls out two folders and hands them both to Bruce and Diana. “I know this is a lot of information and it can be very overwhelming. I’d like to give you some space to think it over and ask any questions. We do need to move quickly, though, as I’m not sure how much of a window we have.”

Diana flips through the bound pages. It’s very thorough, but science isn’t her field. She doesn’t know what exactly she’s looking at, and wonders if Bruce does either. 

“You say here that you need at least twenty-two kilos of Kryptonite. Do you have that?” Bruce asks.

“No, I was hoping you might be able to help with that,” Milton admits.

Bruce nods his head. After stealing Lex’s private collection, he probably has the largest supply in the world, “I think I can figure something out.

“I also want to apologize to both of you,” she says, addressing Bruce and Diana. “That monster could have killed either of you, too.”   
  
Diana’s eyes widened. She  _ knows _ who they both are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has left kudos and comments so far! I really appreciate it and it helps me stay motivated!


	4. Vanished

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of humor, friendship, and ass kicking. Our story is really starting to rev up now!
> 
> Thank you to everyone who's left comments and kudos <3

Dinner goes off pleasantly enough. It’s been a long time since Diana’s had a meal with so many people, and she enjoyed listening to Martha and Lois share sweet and funny tales of Clark.

She had always wondered who Superman was outside of his persona; if he struggled with the same challenges she had. It was fascinating to learn how similar, and yet different, their experiences had been. Listening to Martha’s stories of Clark’s clumsy adolescence, and Lois’s tales of their blossoming romance, Diana realized she was finally getting a full portrait of the man behind the cape.

He was more than the caricature created by the media — he was sweet, goofy, and seemed to love the people closest to him.

_ She wished she’d known him. _

After dinner, Diana looks for a moment to debrief with Bruce, but she finds Lois sitting alone on the porch instead.

“Hey,” Lois looks up with a glass of wine cradled in her hands.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she declares while turning back.

“It’s okay, you’re welcome to join me,” Lois gestures to a bottle of wine next to her. “I don’t have another glass, but there is at least a glass and a half left in the bottle.”

Accepting the offer, Diana smiles and settles down in the chair next to her. “It’s very beautiful out here,” she observes.

Lois sits back and tilts her head towards the sky, “I love that you can see the stars out here. Even on a good night in Metropolis, you can only ever catch a handful. But out here, there’s too many to count.” Lois pauses for a moment, “Sometimes I imagine looking up at the sky and seeing him… I know it’s silly.”

“Not at all,” Diana consoles. “I lost someone I loved, the great love of my life, in an air accident a long time ago. He was a pilot and sometimes I gaze up at the stars and look for him, too.”

“Does it ever get easier?”

“It does… but you never get over it.”

“I’m having a hard time moving forward,” Lois confesses to her. “It’s been nice staying here and looking after Martha, but I don’t know when I’ll be ready to return to work. It just feels so lonely to have to hold onto this gigantic secret about his death and who he was. I don’t know if Dr. Milton can bring him back… I don't want to get my hopes up.”

“I know we don’t know each other very well, but if you ever need to talk to someone…” In a rare moment of vulnerability, Diana senses there’s something she can trust about Lois, “I’m here."

“Thank you, I really appreciate that.” She hesitates for a second, “Can I ask you something? And I hope you don’t take this the wrong way but… who are you? I mean, before Clark’s death… I didn’t know there was anyone else like him on the planet.”

Diana should have known this question was coming. She takes a deep breath, “Well I’m not quite like Clark. Before I came to man’s world I lived on an ancient island hidden by the gods with my mother -- the queen of the Amazons.”

“So you’re a princess?” Lois gives her a slightly amused and quizzical look.

“I am a princess by my mother... and then my father was Zeus.”

“Zeus? Like the mythological god?”

“Yes, so my abilities are derived from the gods and the Amazons. And when I came of age, I set out to save mankind as part of my sacred duty.” Diana pauses in reflection, “Back then I thought that I could save the world by simply defeating the source of its evil. But man’s world is so much more complicated than I could have ever anticipated. Eventually, I learned that fighting on battlefields usually led to more killing and mutiny… so over the years, I adapted. Most of the work I do now for mankind is significantly more covert.”

Lois stares at her in wonder, “So you’re a warrior-goddess-princess-James-Bond…”

Diana laughs, “It sounds ridiculous -- I know!”

“Hey -- my boyfriend was an alien,” she emphasizes. “I’ll believe just about anything now.”

It’s new, but Diana is pretty sure she just made her first real friend in decades. “I can’t tell you how long it’s been since I told someone all this.”

“What about Bruce? The two of you aren’t…”

“We barely know one another.”

“Really?” Lois is stunned in disbelief. “The way he looks at you -- I kind of assumed something was going on.”

Though she’s not sure what Lois is talking about, Diana can feel her face turn a bright red. “I think he’s just a boy who’s learning how to share the sandbox for the first time.”

Lois gives her a knowing look, “He’s cute. A little brooding… but cute.”

Diana tries hard to suppress an embarrassed smile, but when Lois starts to giggle she breaks, too. 

It’s been a long time since she had someone to laugh and talk with about guys. In the early days, she used to have Steve’s former secretary, Etta Candy, to share these moments with. Etta had taken Diana in following the first world war, and the two of them used to stay up late joking and entertaining one another. When she passed in the early 1960s from pancreatic cancer, the loss hit Diana hard. If she’d ever had a best friend, it was Etta Candy

Diana takes a long swig from the bottle of wine, but before she can finish she sees bright white light flash beyond the surrounding cornfield.

“What was that?” Diana puts the bottle down and jumps up.

“I don’t know -- I don’t think it was lightning.”

“Isn’t that out where the cemetery is?” Diana begins kicking off her heels. 

“Martha! Bruce!” Lois calls into the house.

They both come running out, followed closely by Dr. Martin.

“What’s going on?” Martha Kent goes to Lois.

“I need you all to stay in the house and lock the doors.” Diana runs to the opposite side of the porch and then, like an Olympic long jumper, jets down rickety floorboards and launches herself into the adjacent cornfield.

She hears Bruce faintly call to her in the distance, but she’s already at least two-hundred yards away. As she narrows in on the cemetery, she slows her pace to quietly make her way through the final rows of corn-stalks. 

Ahead in the clearing, she makes out a large dark figure at least ten feet tall. As the moonlight hits him, she realizes it’s a beast unlike any she’s ever seen before. More werewolf than human, it’s covered in thick black hair with long lean forearms that allow it to shift between standing upright and on all-fours. 

Diana watches as it sniffs around the graveyard before it picks up a scent and begins to claw at the earth near Clark’s tomb. 

She’s completely unarmed and barefoot, so she knows she needs to be careful. Slowly she begins to creep forward, but this time she doesn’t go unnoticed. The beast hears her and turns with a deep snarl. It locks its glowing amber eyes with her, before advancing in the attack. 

As it leaps off all-fours to pounce on her, Diana jets forth and manages to slide out from under its strike. Jumping on the beast's back, she hooks her arms around its neck and tries to choke it into submission. The monster claws at her arm and the sharp pain of its talons catch Diana off-guard and cause her to lose footing. 

Sensing her moment of vulnerability, the brute hurtles her over its back and she crashes into a nearby tombstone. 

She’s hurting, but undeterred. Bouncing back up, she moves on the creature once more before bringing her arms into her signature X and sending it flying backward in a concussive hit of force.

Diana knows she’s made a critical hit, but she’ll need to recharge a bit before she can use that move again. 

Slowly the monster gets up and tries to shake it off the blow. 

If she’s going to take down a beast of this magnitude, she needs more than just her bare hands. Looking around the graveyard, she spots an old rusty shovel about twenty yards away. If she can reach it, the pointed blade should be sharp enough to pierce the skin. 

She sprints after it, but right as her fingers begin to grasp the wooden handle, the beast is on her. 

It tosses her to the ground before wrapping its long claws around her neck and pulling her up to meet its fangs. Diana struggles against its grip, but she’s trapped. 

It’s mighty jaws widen and Diana winces while her legs try in vain to kick back at the creature. Right as she’s sure it's about to take a bite out of her, the beast roars back in pain and sends her tumbling to the ground. 

In the distance, Diana can see Bruce has arrived and has begun launching an attack of his own. He continues throwing bat-shaped razors at the beast while Diana uses the distraction to grab the shovel and plunge it into her adversary's abdomen. 

A sharp cry echoes across the open field and the beast falls to the ground in agony. Diana pulls the shovel out of its stomach before piercing through the beast’s jugular in a final fatal blow.

Bruce approaches slowly while Diana catches her breath. Only now can she feel the cuts on her back and neck. 

“Are you okay? Nice job.” Bruce says as he surveys her wounds. The ivory dress she had worn is now tattered and soaked with blood and dirt. 

Diana smiles, pleased with herself, “I’m fine -- that was a good work out.”

“You're um…” Bruce gestures over to her side where a long cut is oozing blood. 

She looks down and observes her fresh battle scars. She sighs, “I just bought this dress.”

Diana leads Bruce over to the disturbed grave. A hole, at least two feet down and three feet wide, remained. “I think it was trying to excavate him.”

“Looks like we’re not the only ones interested in Clark. Have you ever seen anything like that thing before?” He asks, but when they turn back around to look at the dead creature it’s gone. 

“Bruce -- the house!” Diana exclaims before sprinting back through the field.

It takes her only seconds to reach the Kent house, but she finds no monster. She circles quietly but is startled by the front door bursting open.

“Oh, my God -- are you alright?” Martha Kent rushes down the porch steps towards her aghast. 

“I’m fine -- are you okay?” Diana looks around to see no one other than Lois and Dr. Milton behind her. 

The women appear shaken, but completely unscathed as they fuss over her scrapes. Diana’s not sure where the beast vanished to, but it's nowhere in sight. 

As Bruce pulls up, she can see he’s relieved to see them all unharmed. 

“They’re okay,” Diana tells him. “It must have run off somewhere else. But they can’t stay here tonight, Bruce.”

Bruce looks at her dumbfounded, “I don’t understand it. That thing was dead.”

“What thing?” Lois questions, confused by all the commotion.

“Martha, Lois -- Dr. Milton. I need you all to pack whatever you need, and then we need to get out of here.” Bruce commands, before addressing Diana, “We need to get him out of here before another one shows up.”

Diana nods, “You should stay here with them, while I take care of it.” 

“Wait -- what thing?” Lois demands exasperated. “Why do we need to leave? What happened out there? Can someone please explain!”

“Something was trying to dig up Clark’s grave,” Bruce explains, though he doesn’t have many answers.

“Oh - my God,” Martha turns away in horror; clutching her head in her hands.

“What kind of something?” Dr. Milton asks. “Do you think they were a graverobber?”

Diana shakes her head, “It wasn’t… human.”

“Jesus…” Milton sharply gasps.

“It’s not safe for any of you to stay here tonight. I’ve got space on my plane, I can fly you all back to Wayne manor tonight.”

“What about Clark?” Martha asks through misty eyes.

“He’s coming with us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for staying with me and reading! This was my first time writing an action sequence, so I hope it made sense!
> 
> I had a lot of fun with the Lois/Diana friendship scene -- I wish they'd been given more screen time together in the films. Diana deserves a friend!


	5. Mirror of Circe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So if you like a lot of dialogue, mixed with some Bruce/Diana flirting and angst, then this is the chapter for you!
> 
> Things are heating up for Batman and Wonder Woman...

Rather than take Bruce’s private jet out of Kansas, he arranges for Alfred to send his ‘Bat-Wing’ directly to the Kent homestead. The self-piloting super-jet, that works as both a flying bunker and a battle-station, is unlike anything Diana has ever experienced before. 

_Boys love their toys_ , Diana thinks as she boards the plane with her fellow passengers.

Inside, Bruce sets her up in his private suite, where she's able to shower and change out of her tattered dress. When she emerges, now in jeans and a flannel button-down given to her by Lois, she begins searching the plane for her new partner. Too much has happened in the last twelve hours for her to think about rest. 

When she finds him, in what appears to be the plane’s war room, he’s hunched over a desk with several large screens encompassing his view. For a moment she watches while he shifts between monitors, with an intense concentration that reminds her of their time flying together in the afternoon. She likes observing him in his element. 

Before long he spots her out of the corner of his eye, “You just going to stand there?”

“I’m sorry -- I think I just enjoy seeing you work. You’re very… focused.”

He pushes himself away from the desk and pivots around to face here, “Most women tell me I work too much.”

“I’m not most women.”

“You’re definitely not,” he replies with a sly grin. “How are you feeling by the way? I’ve got a fully stocked med-bay if you need anything for your injuries.”

“I’m nearly healed, actually.” Diana pulls up the hem of her shirt and turns slightly, so he can see the side of her. Fresh light pink shin wraps around her waist over where her wounds once were. “They should be completely gone by morning.”

Bruce reaches out and runs his fingertips along her in amazement. “Wow… is everyone like this where you come from?”

She can feel her stomach flip under his gaze and touch, “Not quite like this.”

“Here --” He quickly stands up and begins unbuttoning the top of his dress shirt, before pulling it open to reveal his hard chest. A raised large scar, at least 4 inches long, trails down his left pectoral. “This is from ten years ago.”

Like him, Diana reaches forward and traces him. “Did you get this in battle?”

“I wish… it was a grappling hook accident. Did it to myself.”

She gives a soft laugh and looks up to find his eyes fixed on her. There’s a sudden heat between them and she wonders if this is the look Lois talked about.

It’s been a long time since she touched a man so intimately. Over the years, she’s tried dating on-and-off at varying degrees of unsuccess. No matter how hard she tries, her secrets always get in the way. There’s too much at risk in being honest about who she is, and lately, she resigned to not even trying. What she shared with Steve Trevor, for that brief glimpse in time, was not something that could be easily found again.

Still, she’s not without a pulse. Like anyone, else she longs for companionship and affection. Standing so close with her potential new partner, though, she feels the immediate need to pull away before things advance too quickly.

“What are you working on?” she takes a small step back and gestures over to his desk.

If he’s at all wounded by her sudden retreat, he doesn’t show it. “I’ve been going through Dr. Milton’s work,” He says picking up her folder and thumbing through it. “Her findings check-out with everything I’ve got on Kryptonite. There are still some unknowns, but so far I haven’t found any inconsistencies. Our biggest challenge will be building an electrochemical cell, that can withstand the energy Kryptonite exhausts, while it breaks down and rebuilds.”

The certainty of his words catches Diana off guard, “It sounds like you’ve already made up your mind on whether or not to move forward.”

“I think we have to,” he reasons. “You saw what was out there tonight. We’re not the only ones looking into this -- we need to act before whoever sent that thing does.”

“What do Martha and Lois think?”

“We talked about it while you were cleaning up. They’re on board.”

Diana can feel a flicker of fury beginning to radiate through her body, and she tries to draw it back. “I think we’re moving too fast.”

He huffs and turns away in annoyance.

“You’re dealing with science beyond your world, Bruce.”

“I know what I’m doing.”

“Do you? Because twelve hours ago you were in my office asking me to come to Kansas because you weren’t sure and wanted a second opinion.”

“Well, things changed,” he retorts back. 

She didn’t come here to argue, but it’s feeling more inevitable. “What are you going to do if it doesn’t work? Or what if you do manage to bring Clark back but he’s not the same -- what if he doesn’t remember who he is?”

“He’ll remember --”

“You don’t know that. You can’t know that.” She tries for a moment to be more gentle with him, “Bruce you are not responsible for what happened. But you will be responsible for whatever happens next if you pursue this path.”

He refuses to look her in the eye, but for a brief moment, Diana feels that she may have gotten through to him.

“It was Luthor, it wasn’t you. You have to forgive yourself, Bruce.”

“Is that what you tell yourself about Steve Trevor?” Bruce spits back with all the venom he can muster. “Because I think we both know things would be different if we were talking about your dead boyfriend, instead of Clark.”

Before Diana can reel herself back in, her open palm makes contact with the side of his face. 

Bruce winces pain, but she could have done much worse. For the moment, she’s not at all remorseful. 

“Drop me off back in DC. This partnership isn’t going to work.”

Before she can even walk away he decides to get in a couple more hits, “You’re being a coward. The world needs you now, more than ever, and you’re too scared to get back up and fight.”

“You have no idea who I am or what I’ve done for your world. I’ve lost my home, my family -- everyone I’ve ever loved has died or will die before me. You think you know loneliness? You have no idea the kind of isolation I’ve endured for decades, trying in vain to save a world that keeps inventing new ways to destroy itself. 

I’ve seen men like you before, Bruce Wayne. You’re all the same. You think the only way to save the world is through fighting -- fighting doesn’t make you a hero.”

Before he can get another world in she’s already turned the corner. Her mother’s words still echoing in her head: _fighting doesn't make you a hero._

It was a lesson she had to learn the hard way, and one she has no patience to teach Bruce.

Diana can’t remember the last time she felt such a charged anger. His jabs were cheap, but they still hurt all the same. Pacing the plane at a fevered pace, she considers ejecting herself for a brief moment but thinks better of it. 

She’s in such a blind rage that when she makes her way to the flight lounge, it takes a moment to register that she’s not alone. 

“How are you feeling?” Dr. Milton asks her from across the passenger aisle. 

“What?”

“Oh, I just wanted to know how you were doing. I know it’s been a pretty crazy night,” Dr. Milton says over a stack of papers in front of her. She’s made a small makeshift desk and appeared to be working on something herself before Diana stormed in. “Lois and Martha are back in the barracks if you need them -- but I think they’re both trying to get some sleep.”

Diana nods, still distracted by her confrontation. “You don’t need to rest?”

“I’m honestly too rattled to relax right now. I thought I’d come out here and try to get a little more done,” Dr. Milton shrugs behind her work. “Things are starting to move more quickly than I had anticipated, so I’m probably looking at a lot of late nights.”

Diana nods again but says nothing more. She’s already spoken her piece to Bruce and doesn’t have any intention of hashing it out again with the scientist. 

“You know,” Dr. Milton begins with some slight hesitation. “I get the feeling that you’re not entirely on-board with what I’m doing here, and I just want you to know that I get it.”

“I promise you that it’s nothing personal.” 

“I actually wish that it were. If it were personal, I’d be able to easily dismiss your qualms. But, unfortunately for me, I actually value your opinion.”

Her honesty disarms Diana. She'd expected to be dismissed or subjected to another emotional retort like the one Bruce had just given. Instead, looking directly into Dr. Milton’s eyes, she’s overcome with the feeling that this woman is earnest in her intentions. 

“Give me your hand,” Diana asks, offering hers.

Puzzled, but unafraid, Dr. Milton rests her wrist in Diana’s hand. “Okay…”

Pulling out the lasso she’d secured to her jeans, Diana wraps the glowing gold rope around Dr. Milton's arm several times. “Are you working for Lex Luthor?”

“No.”

“Have you been in contact with Luthor since the Doomsday attack on Metropolis?”

“No…” Dr. Milton responds, now realizing that she’s just jumped into an interrogation.”

“Do you really…” Diana takes a deep breath. “Do you really believe you can bring him back?”

“I do.”

Convinced, Diana releases her, “Thank you.”

Dr. Milton marvels at her wrist, “What was that thing?”

“Where I come from, this lasso is used similar to a lie detector test,” Diana explains. “Only instead of catching someone in a lie, it forces them to tell the truth.”

Dr. Milton shakes her head; clearly taken aback by these otherworldly objects. “I guess that means I passed?”

“You passed.”

“Somehow, I’m still not sure you’re convinced.”

“I’m just not sure that this should be done,” Diana says, revealing her own truth.

Dr. Milton lets out a small sigh, “I’ve struggled with that, too. But… violent crime is up 600% in Metropolis alone. 435% nationwide. I don’t have any exact data, but there is evidence to suggest that this is a phenomenon happening across the globe. I’m mean… six different countries alone have declared wars since he died. Not to mention the rise in suicides and substance abuse issues…. Good people are losing hope, and bad people are seeing this as an opportunity.” She shakes her head, “I know this is a risk, but it feels like a bigger risk to not do anything.”

Diana considers this for a moment. She’s cautious, but she can also empathize with the reasoning. “Bruce told me that you're still trying to figure out the final pieces?”

“Yes,” she confirms to Diana. “The amount of Kryptonite that we’ll need to process to have a shot at healing Clark will need to go through an electrochemical cell, that can handle its energy, without breaking down. During my trials at Lexcorp, we were successful with small samples, but anything larger than five kilos destroyed the cell. We need to find a reflector that can handle its energy without shattering.”

“Well, I’m sure Bruce will figure something out.” Despite their sudden feud, Diana could not deny his determination. If there’s even a chance of restoring Superman’s beacon, Bruce will not rest until he’s done it.

“Actually… I wanted to see if I could get your thoughts on something.” Dr. Milton reaches down for her briefcase and emerges with a tattered and discolored piece of paper. “I’m hoping you might be able to tell me what this is.”

Diana takes the wrinkled page from her. On it, she finds several sketches of what appears to be a hand-mirror etched into stone. It’s drawn from multiple perspectives, with accompanying calculations written in the margins. It’s a somewhat crude illustration, but Diana still recognizes it immediately. “Where did you get this?”

Dr. Milton can tell she’s startled Diana, “Do you know what it is? As the end of my contract with Lexcorp approached, I started to worry that Luthor planned to destroy my findings on positive regeneration. So I slowly started duplicating and sneaking files out of the lab. This one, however, is not one of my own. It doesn’t look like anything from modern science, but I can tell from the algorithms on the page that Luthor had planned to use it as a reflector for the electrochemical cell. This is the missing piece! But I don’t know what it is. I’ve taken it to multiple anthropology and ancient history departments. No one has any answers. I was hoping you might. Do you know what it is?”

Diana takes a deep and uncertain breath, “I know what it is… it’s not of your world. It’s from mine. It’s a forbidden item that once belonged to the sorceress Circe. She was an ally to the Amazons in the rebellion against men, but she betrayed them and was sentenced to death. Her mirror remains guarded on Themyscira as a forbidden object of untold dark power.”

“I guess it makes sense that Luthor would be looking for it then,” Dr. Milton tells her, shaking her head. “I guess we’ll just have to find another way. I’m going to try to get some sleep in. Thank you for your help, Diana.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had some fun with this chapter. Like I said, very dialogue heavy, the next one will have considerably less.
> 
> Also: One thing that has bothered me about the non-jenkins movies, is that they always make out like Diana just totally gave up on mankind for 100 years when we know that's not the case. It doesn't seem cannon with the Wonder Woman movie. 
> 
> I'm planning to get more into this in future chapters, but I think her heroism is not solely based on big battles. I like to think that she became kind of a covert super hero and maybe she saved a lot of people by *NOT* fighting.


End file.
